Executive coach and former corporate lawyer Hana Dhanji is calling for a transformative shift in how high-achieving professionals, especially women, define and pursue success. In a wide-ranging interview this week, Dhanji shared insights from her extensive legal and coaching career, emphasizing that career achievement should not come at the cost of personal fulfillment.
“Success is often measured by title, income, or visibility,” Dhanji explains. “But if your achievements are costing you your inner peace or sense of purpose, that’s not real success—it’s survival in disguise.”
Burnout on the Rise Among High Performers
Dhanji’s call comes amid rising burnout rates in professional environments. According to McKinsey & LeanIn.org (2023), 43% of women leaders report feeling burned out, compared with 31% of men in similar roles. Nearly one in three women has considered downshifting their career or leaving the workforce entirely.
Having worked in high-pressure roles at the World Health Organization, Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN, and top law firms including Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Hogan Lovells (Middle East), Dhanji experienced the toll firsthand. “I was thriving on paper, but hollow inside,” she recalls. “Many professionals push past the red flags, normalizing burnout as a rite of passage rather than a signal to re-evaluate.”
A Framework Rooted in Alignment
Through her coaching, Dhanji helps clients, over 150 in the past five years, identify their unique strengths and develop strategies for long-term success. Her approach combines compassion, intuition, and direct guidance, equipping professionals to excel while staying aligned with their true selves.
Dhanji emphasizes skills that remain essential even in an evolving professional landscape: relationship building, creative problem-solving, and understanding and leveraging one’s unique value proposition. “Even as AI, market shifts, and competitive pressures emerge, the professionals who believe in themselves and their capabilities can navigate any environment and stand out,” she says.
Introducing The Aligned Leadership MethodBuilding on this philosophy, Dhanji is launching The Aligned Leadership Method, a new program designed to help women professionals lead effectively while maintaining purpose, energy, and self-respect. “The next era of leadership is about standing in your truth, holding boundaries, managing energy, and reconnecting with your values,” Dhanji explains.
Actionable Steps for Professionals Today Dhanji encourages professionals to take small, meaningful steps toward alignment:
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Reflect weekly on how work impacts energy, relationships, and health
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Set goals beyond career metrics, including fitness, rest, and social connection
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Audit patterns of over-functioning and ask, “Who am I doing this for?”
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Discuss personal definitions of success with peers or mentors
“Ask yourself: Is this success making me whole—or is it draining me?” she says. “That one question can change the trajectory of your career and your life.”
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Hana Dhanji
Hana Dhanji is a lawyer, executive coach, and founder of The Law School Edge. She has served globally with the WHO, Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN, and leading law firms, including Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Hogan Lovells (Middle East). Dhanji now supports law students, executives, and entrepreneurs in building careers rooted in clarity, purpose, and sustainable leadership.
Contact: hana@hanadhanji.com or book a free consult here: go.oncehub.com/callwithhana
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Website: https://www.hanadhanji.com/
